WPIAL BOYS 2A FINAL

SHADY SIDE ACADEMY 3, QUAKER VALLEY 2, 2OT

Shady Side Academy’s boys soccer program — with a long-storied soccer tradition that that goes back nearly 100 years – long before there was a WPIAL — has never quite seen anything like what transpired on Saturday at Highmark Stadium in the WPIAL Boys 2A Final.

Shady Side, who came into the WPIAL tournament as a 15-seed after an underachieving 9-7-1 regular season, pulled off a dramatic 3-2 double overtime win over top seeded Quaker Valley — as Wally Navid had a bicycle kick equalizing goal and Navid and Adrian Beckman connected on the game winner — both on long throw-ins from Eric Wolf.

“To be honest, I’ve said it several times, we know who we are,” Shady Side coach Ed Ellsworth said. “We have good players, and we know our strengths. We lost a bunch of games in overtime and late. We replaced eight starters from last year’s WPIAL finalist team, and it was a process. The kids never stopped believing.”

That’s right — two dramatic goals — and both on throw-ins — once certainly finished by a bicycle kick – -and the other as Navid and Beckman converged on a redirected header.

Navid’s bicycle kick goal tied the game in the final minute of regulation.

The second won it in overtime.

You had to see it to believe it…

With time running out in regulation, in a match that Quaker Valley dominated for much of the contest — Shady Side rested its hopes on Wolf’s long throws and hoped that something could happen in the box.

You can find the goals here:

“We’ve been practicing it all season, we got one in normal season, then a few in playoffs. The plan was to get it near the six (yard box),” Wolf said, then chuckled. “Then we finally got them at the end of this match.”

That’s when the junior, Navid, put himself in position — lined himself up — and did what came natural to him.

“We’re just fortunate that we have Eric to get them in for us,” Navid said. “I saw it in the box, and I said to myself I got to go to the ball — and I’m biking it — and it went in.”

Yes Wally, not once, but twice!

As the game went past the 100 minute mark, and into the second overtime, Shady Side found itself with another throw inside the final third.

There — it looked like Navid was putting it through with another bicycle — but a closer look reveals Beckford coming in with a header simultaneously.

Quaker Valley, who beat Shady Side last year in the final, 2-1, to capture its eighth overall WPIAL title, was on the verge of winning its ninth after Landon Grant put the Quakers ahead in the 72nd minute, evading a slide tackle attempt near the top of the box by the last defender, Lev Ivanov, then slid a low shot past Shady Side keeper Chester Todd.

“We played our game — and did well to get the lead,” Andrew Marshall, Quaker Valley coach said. “It took a penalty, and two long throws to beat us today. Got to give them credit, they executed their game plan today.”

Quaker Valley took the lead seven minutes into the first half as Franky Fernandez finished off a cross into the box from Landon Grant.

But, the resilient Indians came back with pressure in the box, drawing a penalty inside the 18 — setting up a penalty kick for Ben Ream.

The teams would play for much of the rest of the first half — and into the second half with the Quakers setting the pace, and Shady Side looking for counter opportunities. Shady Side’s keeper Todd was under constant pressure most of the game — as Grant in particular was active with sending balls into the box.

“We wished we had this one, but it didn’t work out for us today,” Marshall said. “Now we’ve got a great opportunity to go play for a state title — and we’re excited about that.”

A year ago, the Quakers made it to the state final – and something tells us — that they may run into Shady Side one more time.

This is another rematch of one of last year’s finals. Each team has taken a different path to return to the finals.

A year ago, Quaker Valley scored two goals from set pieces, and held on for a 2-1 win against Shady Side to capture its eighth WPIAL title, and first under coach Andrew Marshall, a former defender with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

Reigning champs Quaker Valley have shown few blemishes this season, with only one loss to 3A finalist Montour.

It should be another classic post-season match-up between two successful programs that always seem to run into each other during playoff time. Quaker Valley won last year’s game by finishing on a pair of set pieces — while Shady Side puts out a skillful side that likes to play through possession.

Shady Side, under the guidance of Ed Ellsworth, have taken an entirely different path — struggling through the regular season, with a 9-7-1 regular season overall record — and the WPIAL seeding committee decided to give last year’s runner up a 15-seed. The Indians got on a roll — stunning No. 2 seed South Park 5-2, then shutting out Waynesburg Central 3-0, and Central Valley 2-0.

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[…] title a few weeks ago at Highmark Stadium, losing in improbable fashion to Shady Side Academy, 3-2, after holding a 2-1 lead very late in regulation. Instead, they were denied a second consecutive […]

[…] title a few weeks ago at Highmark Stadium, losing in improbable fashion to Shady Side Academy, 3-2, after holding a 2-1 lead very late in regulation. Instead, they were denied a second consecutive […]